1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to electrochemical catalysts, and particularly to an electro catalyst for the electrochemical conversion of carbon dioxide to hydrocarbons, such as methanol and methane.
2. Description of the Related Art
Over the past several decades, various electrode materials have been researched for the reduction of carbon dioxide (CO2) into different products, most notably formic acid, carbon monoxide (CO), methane and methanol. Conventional metals used in the research were provided in the form of high purity foils, plates, rotating discs, wires, beds of particles, tubes and mesh. These are all macroscopic materials. Thus, when compared to microscopic or nanoscopic materials, they all have relatively low surface areas and low conductivity electrical supports.
It would be desirable to provide an eleetrocatalytic material formed on nanostructures, thus greatly increasing available reactive surface area and conductivity. Given the destructive nature of carbon dioxide as a greenhouse gas, increasing the efficiency of electrocatalysts to form benign hydrocarbons, such as methanol, is obviously quite important. Further, it would be desirable to not only increase the overall efficiency of the catalytic process, but also provide an electrocatalyst that operates under relatively low temperatures and in the range of atmospheric pressure.
Thus, an electrocatalyst for the electrochemical conversion of carbon dioxide solving the aforementioned problems is desired.